Rick McAuliffe and Jeff Taylor of the May 4 Group briefed the New Shoreham Town Council on May 4 about three years of federal and state advocacy work and recent appropriation outcomes.

The firm said its federal advocacy has yielded roughly $6 million in appropriations for town projects. ‘‘We were able, working with [senators and the congressional delegation], to get you above the list of other potential competitors,’’ one presenter said, listing approximately $3.5 million for a fire station project and about $2.5 million for the medical center. The presenters said roughly $1 million allocated for Corn Neck Road storm damage and revetment work remains caught up in congressional funding negotiations.

Why it matters: The secured appropriations would fund capital projects that town officials have prioritized; the Corn Neck Road item is tied to a larger federal funding process and, the presenters said, to negotiations over a continuing resolution that temporarily funds the federal government.

The May 4 Group described how the appropriation process normally works and what the town must provide. They asked the council to set clear priorities so lobbying staff can prepare competitive requests and supporting documentation for senators’ and the congressman’s offices. The presenters said they supply application-level narrative, demographic data and follow-up meetings with congressional staff and occasionally bring delegation staff to the island so they can “touch and feel” projects.

On timing, the presenters said most appropriations requests are submitted in late winter or early spring and that the Senate and House markups and conference process often stretch into summer or later. They cautioned that Congress’s recent continuing resolution temporarily halted many earmarks (now styled as “congressional direct spending”), and that final decisions on some requests, including the Corn Neck Road money, were still unresolved as of the briefing.

The presenters said staff from Senators’ offices were still advocating for the Corn Neck Road request and would continue negotiating in March, and they recommended the council identify two to three top federal priorities for FY2026 appropriations. The presenters said they generally split their time about 60% on state issues and 40% on federal work during a typical year but that this balance can shift depending on the legislative calendar and funding deadlines.

Council members and several panelists asked procedural questions about how the town should communicate priorities and how the May 4 Group handles outreach to state and federal offices. The firm noted it coordinates primarily with the town manager and caucused council leadership, and it provides monthly invoices accompanied by bullet-point work summaries.

Ending: The presenters asked the council for direction on top federal and state priorities; they said they would return with an update on state and federal budget developments in March. No formal action or vote on the contract or specific appropriations occurred at the meeting.